St. Paul daily globe., 1887-10-21
Mr.. Blethen's Position Com
mended, While Haskell Gets
Thoroughly Roasted.
Knights of Labor Delegates
Leave the City---Conven-
ton Aftermath.
Steffes to Go to Saltwater for
Twenty Years---E. j. c.
Atterbury Crazy.
THE REAL OFFENDER.
Young Haskell Assumes the Re-
sponsibility for Insulting Mrs.
CIaVaIDn6

Young Haskell Assumes the Re-
sponsibility for Insulting Mrs.
Cleveland.
1t seems TO have been taken, in certain
quarters, as the head and front of the
Tribune'S offending in the Cleveland in
suit, that the obnoxious and insulting
editorial was written by \. j. Blethen.
But this is not the case and the
fact that Mr.. Blethen has
cleared his skirts does not in
the least improve the position of the
paper, nor does it do aught beyond fix
ing upon young Haskell the stigma of
being the cowardly person that would
wantonly insult woman. While there
may be some who look to the individ-
uality in such case, the general pub
lie does not; it is the Tribune
that has been guilty of the
attempted assassination of the good
name of lady, and it is the paper that
is held responsible by an outraged and
indignant community. The two very
remarkable editorial communications of
yesterday morning, do simply this:
In the first, one William Ed
win Haskell assumes the re-
but without regret. remOrse or apology;
assumes it, in fact, with an air of impu
dent braggadicio characteristic of the
youth. In the second, a. j. Blethen
makes personal explanation, accom-
panied by some unnecessary but eXcuSa-
BILE venom. and expresses for the pub
lication regret that will greatly
elevate him. personally in the public
estimation. He feels, he says, that
gross error was committed, that the
public sense of the city was outraged,
and the whole matter is most sincerely
and deeply regretted" This is
had Immediately followed the pub
lication of the editorial, as an
utterance of the paper, public respect
would never have been forfeited. A
newspaper is liable to error and will lose
nothing by prompt and manful ac-
acknowledgements. The situation then is
that Mr.. Blethen was not per
sOnally responsible and regrets the
publication: that w. E. Haskell
was responsible and is now trying to
braZen out the case until such time as
his father shall arrive and decide what
shall be done. For the past week, while
a. J. Blethen was endeavoring to make
the reparatiOn the public demanded. w.
E. Haskell was in control and endeavOr-
ing to bolster up the papers attitude by
lot Of office communications SpuriouSly
put upon tn public as genuine express
sionS of sen dment. w. E. Haskell says
he desires to relieve Mr.. Blethen of
'the cowardly and merciless persecu-
tiOnS to which he has been subjected.'
Who but W. E. Haskell has subjected
him to it? If Haskell had not refused
the explanation which has come at last,
the ''mercileSs persecution" would
never have occurred, but instead of that,
Blethen for week took the righteous
wrath intended for Haskell, who as
sumes the responsibility. Public con-
demnatiOn was intended for the head of
the Tribune and Haskell, that head,
shielded himself at the expense of his
friend and partner. Mr.. Blethen has
rendered manful apology. but,
according to the papers own showing,
he is not the man from whom the apollo
gy is alone due. There was no word of
apology in Haskelfs vainglorious edi-
tOrial, and Haskell, it unfortunately ap-
pears, controls the paper. The only
hope now is that Haskell, the father.
will give Haskell, the son, a taste of
parental discipline, and then leave the
paper in hands more experienced, more
honorable and more discreet.